The Legend of Troy
by X Livi4eva X
Summary: When Helen of Sparta runs away with the young Paris of Troy, what will Troy do when all the armies of Greece appear on Troy's shore declaring war? Meanwhile, Briseis of Lyrnessus is captured and given as a prize to the legendary Achilles... R&R
1. Chapter I

_**Hey guys, just thought I'd mention that this story is based on the film Troy and not on Homer's Iliad. I am currently reading Black Ships before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliff which is an easier-version-to-read of the Iliad. When I have finished it, I may consider writing a story about that version as well. My maths teacher suggested that I read it and now I suggest it to you. You can find it on Amazon for sure because that is where I got mine from. This may disappoint some people but this story also ends the way the movie Troy does. Enjoy the story!**_

_**-Livi X**_

**CHAPTER ONE**

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><p><strong>Achilles<strong>

After dodging the countless attacks from my opponent, I plunged my sword deep into his stomach and watched his motionless body fall to the ground with a tremendous thud. The men behind me cheered at the glorious sight. Across this empty desolate place stood an army lost for words. As I looked down at my defeated adversary, I did not rejoice; nor did I smile. Instead I watched the wind carry dust and dirt across the dead body.

I returned to my army and received more unwanted praise. My gaze was focused on the devastated faces of Thessaly's army. Their King Triopas, shocked at his most skilled soldier's defeat, came to us and faced Agamemnon.

'Your victory was most unexpected,' managed Triopas slowly, 'but I respect your demands and join your impressive army.'

'I look forward to the day we go to battle,' replied Agamemnon with a cruel smile, he offered his hand and Triopas glared at it in despite but finally shook it.

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><p>'You fought well today,' complimented Odysseus as he joined me at my side. I sipped my wine quietly before replying.<p>

'I fight well every day,' I muttered as I tossed the golden goblet in my hands. I looked up at Agamemnon on his throne drunk with victory. 'But he claims the victory for himself.' I scooped up a bunch of grapes and glanced at Odysseus.

'Our army grows stronger because of your talents,' replied Odysseus. 'I'm sure he realises that and appreciates it in his own way.'

After chewing a grape, I handed the bunch to Odysseus who took it willingly. He too munched on a couple of groups before returning the bunch to a silver tray. We both watched Agamemnon from a distance. Every few minutes, we took a sip of our wine and helped our selves to the delicious rich food laid across the table.

'This is where I leave you, my friend,' Odysseus began and he finished his wine. 'Tomorrow morning I leave Thessaly and so do you.'

'We will meet again,' I told him with a smile. 'They'll be another war I'm sure of it.'

After grinning, he left the tent silently and I soon followed him. The new mon looked down at us, glistening like a large diamond in the dark sky.

**Helen**

My eyes full with tears gazed up at the rather large moon; a tear escaped from my eye and rolled down my bright red cheek. Leaning against the stone archway which lead to my balcony, I lowered my gaze and wiped my wet cheeks with the back of my small gently hands. The sound of my bedroom door opening startled me and I spun around to face it.

There stood Paris, his light brown eyes focused on me and only me. After closing the door behind him, he locked it and strolled up to me. I bowed my head and tried not to look at him.

'What is wrong?' he asked and he reached out his hand to stroke my cheek. Without thinking, I grabbed it and kissed it gently.

'Tomorrow you leave,' I gasped through my tears. 'I don't know how I will survive.'

'I may leave in body but you'll never leave my heart.'

'Before you came, my life was worthless. I was nothing to Menelaus apart from a woman in his bed. But then you came and lightened up my life. When you leave, everything will go back to normal.'

Paris stepped closer to me and looked at me with his gleaming eyes. He was young; but old enough to love. And I, at least a couple of years older, had fallen for him.

'Don't let Menelaus hurt you. Don't be afraid of him,' he told me and I sighed sadly as I shook my head.

'I am not afraid of Menelaus,' I admitted, 'I'm afraid of when I see you sail away from me forever.'

'That does not have to happen, come with me.'

Blood pounded in my ears like a never ending banging drum. My heart crashed against my ribcage and the world around me suddenly froze.

'That could never happen,' I whispered, I was now more distraught.

'Anything can happen when we are in love,' he told me with a heart warming smile. That was when I realised that he was deadly serious.

'Menelaus would kill us both.' I sniffled at the dreadful thought.

'We will be safe at Troy,' his eyes were filled with honesty but I only shook my head. 'No army has ever entered Troy's gates.'

'You do not know my husband, my love. He will not stop until he gets what he wants.'

Paris only smiled beautifully and ran his fingers gently through my long golden hair.

'No man can seperate us. Not even the Gods; Menelaus will learn of this,' he spoke with love in his eyes.

**Hector**

'How dare you!' I yelled at my younger brother, he only stared at me with pathetic innocent eyes which made me want to punch him. 'Why did you bring her on this ship? Do you know what you've done?'

'I love her,' he replied calmly to my angry voice; I rolled my eyes in disgust. He repeated his words and grabbed my arm gently, I shoved his arm of it and narrowed my eyes at him.

'You do not know what love is.'

'I do, I love her as much as I love you and father.'

'What about your father's love? You spat on him when you brought her on this ship!'

'Brother-'

'What about the love for your country? You'll let Troy burn for this woman?'

'May I speak?' He asked, almost interrupting. He assumed my silence meant yes and carried on. 'I admit that I have wronged you but nothing can tear Helen and I apart.'

'She's going back to Sparta,' I growled, ignoring what he had said.

'Then I will go with her!'

'To Sparta? They'll kill you.'

'I'll die fighting.'

After hesitating at his response, I turned and glared at him. His chesnut hair was curlier than usual and his eyes told me he was not joking.

'Does that sound heroic to you, brother?' I asked him without letting my anger be unleashed again. 'To die fighting?'

His gaze dropped to the ground and I dragged him to a corner of the ship.

'Tell me little brother,' I began as I glared down at him. 'Have you ever killed a man?'

'No,' answered Paris with his head bowed.

'Ever seen a man die in battle?'

His response was 'no' once again and I scowled.

'Well I have killed men,' I told him. 'And I have seen men dying and there's nothing glorious about it.' Paris looked up at me and knew what I was saying was true. 'You say you want to die for love when you know nothing about dying and you know nothing about love!'

Our conversation had distracted and interested the men on the ship and they were now staring at us.

'To Troy!' I cried at them angrily, they could see that I was livid and returned to rowing the ship.

'What you say is true,' Paris said and he attracted my attention again. 'But I know enough to know that I love her. I will return to Sparta and kill Menelaus, I won't ask you to fight _my _war.'

I glanced at the sea and then back at Paris.

'You already have,' I murmured before turning and walking away from him.


	2. Chapter II

**CHAPTER TWO**

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><p><strong>Menelaus<strong>

After searching every room in the palace, I unleashed my anger and punched the wall furiously.

'WHERE IS SHE?' I screamed at the top of my lungs. The guards behind me exchanged worried looks.

'My Lord,' called a man to me from down the corridor. Slowly I turned to face him and my anger and cooled. 'Queen Helen was spotted entering the Trojan ship early this morning.'

'Trojans?'

'Her and Paris they-'

The man's voice trailed away when he saw my blood boil. He stepped back because he knew I was going to explode.

'HOW DARE THEY?' I screeched as I kicked the wall as hard as I could. I was too angry to acknowledge the pain in my foot. 'What kind of prince eats my food, drinks my wine and then steals my wife the next morning? I thought they came to make peace, not to spit in my eye!'

'What will you have me do?' asked a guard, willing to help me in this situation.

'Prepare my ship, we are going to Mycenae.'

**Agamemnon**

'I always thought my brother's wife was a foolish woman,' I smirked as I studied my fingertips. 'But she's proved to be very useful.' My smirk automatically transformed into a grin.

My body turned to face Nestor whose head was bowed as a sign of respect towards me.

'Were you not here this morning?' I asked him as he looked up from the floor. 'Menelaus came to me quite distraught, complaining that his wife had run away with the young Prince Paris of Troy. I agreed to go to war with, a dream come true I'd say.'

'Indeed my Lord,' agreed Nestor as he rested against the rather large table behind him. 'It will be difficult.'

'Nothing is difficult for me.' I brought him over to the map laid across the table. 'Look Nestor, I have brought together all the Kings of Greece and their armies. Anything is possible now.'

Nestor bowed his head in agreement but rose it again to reply.

'Hector commands the greatest army in the East,' he argued and what he said was true. Also Troy had the most skilled archers in the world.

'I'll attack them with the greatest force the world has ever seen!' I shot back at him and he nodded.

'Yes you have the largest army.' He ran his fingers through his long white beard. 'But you need the greatest warrior.'

I turned away and sighed to myself, I knew who he meant.

'Achilles,' I whispered; and Nestor nodded in respone. 'The man can't be controlled!'

'You don't need to control him you need to _unleash_ him,' he replied, 'that man was born to end lives.'

'Yes, he's a gifted killer but he threatens everything I do.'

'We cannot win this war without him.'

Nestor was right, we needed Achilles or the Trojans would defeat us. There is only one man who can persuade him to join us.

**Odysseus**

Pacing up and down, I thought about how to begin and how to explain i. Greece's victory rested in _my_ hands. Sighing, I sat back down onto the log behind me and waited patiently.

'I believe you called for me,' said a voice from behind me. He had come quicker than I had expected for a man who didn't like mysterious meetings. Achilles sat beside me on the log and drew his short blade.

'You were correct,' I began with my eyes on the ground; Achilles looked up at me confusingly so I carried on. 'Another war has come.'

As I looked up from the ground at Achilles, he looked down at his blade.

'Do you come with Agamemnon's word?' he asked me as he sharpened his blade with a small rock.

'We need to talk,' I told him as I stroked my short brown beard.

'I will not fight for him.'

'I'm not asking you to fight for him. I'm asking you to fight for the Greeks.'

'Why? Are the Greeks tired of fighting each other? No Trojan has ever harmed me.'

'They insulted Greece.'

'They insulted _one _greek. The man couldn't hold onto his wife, what business of that is mine?'

'Your business is war, my friend.'

'Is it? I fight for honour.'

'Well let Achilles fight for honour, Agamemnon for power. And let the Gods decide who to glorify.'

Achilles tilted his head and smiled while studying his blade.

'Forget Agamemnon,' I told him with a smile. 'Fight for me, my wife and I will feel so much better if we know you're by my side.' Achilles's grin widened and he looked up at the beautiful night sky. 'We're sending the largest fleet which ever sailed, one thousand ships.' I hoped to impress him but he only narrowed his eyes at his blade.

'Fifty thousand soldiers,' Achilles worked out, 'is that necessary?' I shrugged helplessly in response before standing up.

'We leave for Troy in two days.'

I turned to leave but stopped and turned back around to face him.

'This war will never be forgotten; nor will the heroes who fight in it,' I added before leaving quietly.

**Briseis**

The smell of sea had invaded my nostrils since I boarded this huge wooden ship. Leaning over the edge of the ship, I admired the deep blue surface of the ocean. Sometimes I felt like climbing over and jumping in; letting my body be eaten away by the vicious waves. As my head rose up, I gazed at the pretty island in the distance. I could see the people working as hard as they could on the beach; although they looked like ants. My lips curved into a perfect smile and I looked back at the sea's surface.

'What are you smiling at?' snapped a voice in my ear. My smile faded and I turned around slowly. Only to see Mynes hovering over me, his dark scary eyes narrowed at mine. Inside I felt uncomfortable and extremely awkward.

'We are close to Troy,' I said quietly even though it was visibly clear.

'Indeed, we arrive just in time to welcome the princes back.' He turned and moved away and I sighed in relief.

He makes my skin crawl and my teeth chatter. Before I laid eyes on him for the first time, I never knew such a man could exsist. He was large for a man of fifty years. His shoulders were broad and his strong hands were the size of my head. I watched him talk with a sailor named Adonis. He was twice Adonis's size, but after all Adonis had quite a diminutive figure. Mynes's braided greyish black hair fell down his back and his olive skin glistenened in the sunlight. He wore a large robe which just about covered all of his body.

I never wanted to marry Mynes; but my father Briseus insisted that we should. When Mynes asked for my hand in marriage, my father saw it as a way for our countries to become allies. Six months ago, we married and I became the Queen of Lyrnessus. I always believed you should marry someone you love, but I knew I certainly didn't love Mynes. The priests had forbidden Mynes to share a bed with me for I was a virgin priestess of Apollo. After one year into our marriage, the priests will allow it and I will loose my title.

Although Mynes was rude and abusive towards me, he was a man who respected the Gods and would not shame Apollo. I detested the man, he was despicable and shameless. He may have respect for the Gods but he contained none inside his heart for women. I dreaded the day when one year had passed and Mynes would-

The ship came to a sudden stop on the beach of Troy. I was escorted out of the ship by my husband and guards. Trojan men stopped their work to look up at us. I looked down at my white and blue servant of Apollo dress to see if it was clean and was in good shape. My long black wavy hair flowed down my back and shoulders.

A Trojan warrior who looked slightly younger than Mynes stood before us.

'Welcome,' he greeted with a heart warming smile. 'King Priam expects you.'

We followed the Trojan warrior up the beach and past the working men. Warriors strolled across the sand as if they were going to war. My eyes adverted to the magnificent temple of Apollo which stood gleaming in the sunlight. The gates of Troy opened for us and Mynes was among the first to stroll in proudly with his head held high like a God. Market stalls and busy townspeople surrounded us. The air smelled of dirt and pine but in a good way. As we climbed up the long stone steps which lead to the Palace, I glanced around at the beautiful view of Troy.

When we reached the beautiful palace, we were greeted by King Priam, Glaucus and Tecton (his advisers). Mynes and Priam embraced while the other two watched with smiles on their faces. I stood watching from a reasonable distance. Priam noticed me and called me over at once. I followed his instructions and joined them.

'Briseis,' Priam said when I reached them, he kissed my cheeks. 'Your beauty grows each day. Mynes has been blessed by the Gods to have you as his wife. I know men who would kill for the honour.' I blushed and bowed my head to thank him. 'I see you are still a servant of Apollo.' I realised he had noticed my dress. I glanced at Mynes who gave me a hard stare which made me feel uncomfortable.

'Yes,' I replied as I turned back to Priam who smiled happily.

'Apollo is a patron of Troy. You make me proud to see that you have chosen to dedicate your life to him, apart from your husband of course. You are most welcome to pray and worship at our temple while you stay here.'

Mynes didn't seem pleased but I knew I certainly was. Priam kissed my forehead and we both smiled.

'Hector and Paris have not returned yet?' I asked him as I ran my fingers through my hair.

'They are on their way,' Priam replied, 'they should arrive shortly. I know you look forward to seeing them.'

Before I could reply, Priam grabbed my hand gently and lead me out of the palace. Trojan guards follwed us for our protection.

'Come, let me show you our temple,' he told me excitingly as he lead me back down the stone steps. Without looking back, I followed him through Troy's gates and across the beach towards the temple. I was the first to enter with Priam close behind me. Inside was more beautiful than it was on the outside. There were painted carvings on the walls and open chests of treasure all dedicated to the Sun God. Some priests joined us and welcomed us with happy faces.

'This is Briseis, daughter of Briseus my closest friend,' Priam introduced me to the priests. She will be worshiping with you.'

'It will be an honour,' replied a priest with a kind smile. They went back to carrying out a sacriface at the other end of the temple.

'So tell me Briseis,' began Priam as we strolled around. 'Is Mynes good to you?' My gaze lowered and I fell quiet. 'Is he?'

'Mynes treats me with respect,' I lied, but Priam may be old but he is not stupid.

'Mynes is my dearest friend but I do know his terrible ways towards women. Before your father died, he asked me to look after you and make sure you are happy. Are you?'

After a moment of silence, I shook my head sadly.

'I do not love him, Priam,' I told him and I felt a tear roll down my face.

'Maybe if I talk to him- ' began Priam.

'No, please don't. It will only make things worse. I am already a doomed woman.'

Suddenly, Tecton burst into the temple and interrupted our conversation.

'My Lord,' he panted. 'The princes have arrived!'


	3. Chapter III

**CHAPTER THREE**

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><p><strong>Briseis<strong>

As fast as we could, we ran back to the palace just in time to welcome the two princes back home. To my surprise, there was a beautiful woman at Paris's side. She was shy and timid and hid herself behind him. I was desperate to know who she was.

'Hector,' greeted Priam as he kissed his son's forehead. Hector smiled and turned to me.

'Briseis,' he said before kissing my cheek. When he pulled away, he studied me; amazed by what he saw. I blushed and turned back to Priam, just in time to see him embracing with his son.

'Father,' began Paris as he brought the fair-haired woman to Priam. 'This is Helen.' Priam gazed at Helen confusingly before replying.

'Helen of Sparta?' he asked finally.

'Helen of Troy.'

Priam realised what Paris had done and so had I. I struggled to keep my gasp inside me. Hector and I exchanged looks. I wished to know what Priam was thinking, was he mad or distraught?

'I've heard rumours of your beauty,' began Priam as he kissed her cheeks like he had done to me. 'For once, gossips were right.' Helen smiled and let Priam take her further into the palace.

I was jealous of this Helen for some reason. She had won Paris's heart and he loved her so much that he smuggled her out of Sparta. When we were children, Paris and I played together while Hector went horse riding and our fathers talked. I remembered Paris saying that when he was older he was going to marry me. I laughed about it but later I thought he was serious. But I didn't return to Troy for some time and I didn't see Paris much anymore.

**Hector**

Father may have acted kindly towards Helen but I know that he wasn't thinking kindly inside. Tecton and Glaucus greeted me, followed by my wife. Her long dark hair fell down her back and she smiled at me with those perfect lips. Such a lucky man I am.

Andromache kissed me before handing me our baby son Astyanax. He had my eyes for sure and his mother's nose. I kissed him gently and rocked him in my arms. Astyanax looked up at me and smiled.

'Father, I am sorry for Paris's betrayal,' I apologised with my head bowed. 'I wanted to send her back immediately.'

'It is the will of the Gods,' sighed father. 'What will you have me do?'

'Put her on a ship and send her home.'

Father sighed again and looked at his beautiful city from the top of the stone steps.

'Women have always loved Paris and he has loved them back. But this is different,' he told me, 'if you put her on a ship he will follow her.'

'This is my country,' I replied as I glanced around at Troy. 'These are my country men and I don't want to see any of them die so my brother can have his prize. Menelaus has probably gone to Agamemnon and Agamemnon has wanted to destroy us for years.'

'Enemies have been attacking us for years, our walls still stand strong.'

'Everything changes. I know there will be a war soon.'

**Paris**

I know what everyone is thinking but I do not care; I love her. From my bed, I watched Helen standing on the balcony staring at the dark sea. She was worried and scared for Troy.

'They are coming for me,' she said out loud so I could hear her. 'The wind is blowing them closer.' She wrapped her arms around her shoulders and sighed.

'Let's leave,' I decided as I joined her on the balcony. 'Tonight.'

'And go where?' she asked me as if she was against me. Why do women have to ask so much questions?

'Anywhere. I can hunt deer, I can feed us.'

'What if we are found?'

'I know these lands better than the Greeks. We can loose ourselves in one day.'

'And your family?'

'We'd be protecting our family. If we are not here, what need is there for war?'

'You don't know my husband and his brother. They'll never believe we've gone. They'll burn every house in Troy just to find us. What about your home?'

'You left your home for me.'

Helen's gaze dropped and she sat down on the bed.

'Sparta was never my home,' she told me, 'my parents sent me there to marry Menelaus when I was sixteen.'

After sitting down next to her on the bed, I leaned in until my lips met hers. She was not surprised and returned my kiss.


	4. Chapter IV

**CHAPTER FOUR**

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><p><strong>Briseis<strong>

Morning came and the sun's light danced into my bedroom. My eyes opened slowly as it shone onto my face. After I climbed out of bed, I went over to the balcony and gazed up at the blue skies. _What a beautiful day_, I thought to myself. Mynes was still in his bed snoring as loud as he could. As I glanced around at the beautiful city. I realised how much I loved Troy. I would rather be queen of Troy than queen of Lyrnessus.

My husband interrupted my thoughts by snorting and rolling over in his bed. After turning to face him, I moaned at the sight of him and walked away. I got dressed and combed my hair before leaving the bedroom silently. Without a word, I left the palace and strolled through the market place. Hardly anyone was up and about; I suppose they must still be asleep. The gates of Troy opened for me with no delay and I left the city. The temple of Apollo could be seen in the distance. At the sight of it, my face lightened up and I sprinted towards it. My pace slowed when I was inside the beautiful temple. A sacrifice was being made and I watched before joining in.

**Hector **

Astyanax lay fast asleep in my arms but still his lips were curved into the shape of a smile. His chubby cheeks were bright red and his lips were slightly apart. Andromache joined us and looked down at Astyanax with a smile. My head rose up to meet hers and I kissed her passionatly but gently.

Suddenly the alarm bells began to ring loudly and all of Troy could hear them. I broke the kiss immediately and stood up to see what was going on. Astyanax had woken up from his sleep and was now crying constantly. Slowly, I handed him to Andromache and walked over to the balcony.

At least one thousand ships could be seen in the distance sailing towards us. I didn't have the time to gasp, I left the palace as fast as I could and went to get the soldiers armed. Women and children were screaming in the streets; they panicked and searched for places to hide. Already, the men were getting ready for battle in the weapons room of the palace.

'To the beach!' Yelled a guard with soldiers running behind him. There was no doubt that it was the Greeks here for serious war.

**Achilles**

Spear in hand, we waiting patiently in our ship as it sailed across the water. I had agreed to go to war with the Greeks after all. Archers could be seen on the beach of Troy, ready to greet us by firing arrows. The temple of Apollo stood proudly in the distance; I decided that was my target.

As soon as our ship arrived on the shore, we hopped down and ran at the Trojans with our spears aimed at them. Arrows swooped through the air at high speed and pierced the hearts of my soldiers on the sand and in the ship. An arrow was heading in my direction but I was quick enough to block it with my shield.

I ran up to an archer and punched him in the face so he lost his balance and fell onto the ground. After thrusting my sword into him, I charged at two Trojan soldiers and killed them instantly with my sword. One archer noticed me and began to get his bow ready but I threw my spear at him and it drove through his skull.

As fast as I could, I worked my way up the hill towards the temple; killing any Trojan violently in my path.

**Briseis**

When the sound of screams and shouts of death reached my ears, we stopped the sacrifice and went to see what was going on. Greek ships has appeared on Troy's shore and Greek soldiers were heading in our direction. The priests panicked at the sight and disappeared into hiding places. I tried to follow them but I got lost and began to cry. _I am going to _die, I thought to myself as I leaned against the wall.

Suddenly, Mynes came out of nowhere and pressed me against the wall against my will.

'Why are you crying?' he asked with a cruel smile. 'I can give you something to cry about.'

'No,' I told him and I tried to push him away. He grabbed my wrists so hard that I screamed out in pain.

'I'm fed up of this virgin priestess rubbish. I have fulfilled my duties as a husband, niow it's time that you fulfill yours as a wife.'

'No you don't understand. There are-'

'Don't try to make up excuses.'

He tore my servant of Apollo dress and I panicked when I heard it. I slapped him as hard as I could but he grabbed my arm and twisted it back. After screaming loudly, he started to undress himself so I took advantage of this moment and punched him in the face. He glared glared at me furiously before punching me even harder and making my lip bleed. I tasted the sour blood on my tongue; that's when I gave up on escaping.

Suddenly a Trojan warrior appeared in the door way of Apollo's temple.

'My Lord,' he began, 'you must-'

A sword was driven through his heart from behind him and he fell like a stone. I screamed like a little girl at the horrible sight. The warrior's killer stared at us from the doorway, his sword still dripping with red blood. Mynes let go of me and drew his sword. My right thigh was exposed so I bent down and tried to cover it up; I also prayed to Apollo for forgivness.

When I looked up from my legs, the Greek warrior had knocked Mynes's sword out of his hand. Within a second, Mynes had fallen to the ground and that was when I realised that his throat had been cut. I couldn't stop myself from screaming out of fear, the Greek was now coming after me.

Without taking a second thought, I grabbed a piece of wood which lay on the floor and tried to hit him with it foolishly. The Greek shoved it away and grabbed me by the arms easily. More Greeks appeared in the temple and surrounded us.

'Lord Achilles,' said one of them with his head bowed.

'Speak Eudoras,' replied this 'Achilles' as he pulled my struggling self out of the temple.

'The Trojands have returned to their city. The beach belongs to the Greeks.'

In response, Achilles gave me to Eudoras and he looked at Achilles confusingly.

'Give her to Odysseus,' commanded Achilles. 'He will work out what to do with her.' I struggled to free myself fron Eudoras's strong grip; Achilles looked down at me with his bright blue eyes like he had not done anything.

'You'll be good and not do anything stupid,' he said with a smile and he tapped my chin. After glaring at him, I tried to spit at him but failed because I was already being dragged away. Achilles's smile faded as he watched me staring at him.


	5. Chapter V

**CHAPTER FIVE**

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><p><strong>Briseis<strong>

'Come on ladies,' said a man from behind us. 'Keep moving.' We were shoved onto a wooden stage in front of an audience of Greek soldiers. As I stared at them anxiously, I began to feel physically sick. The girl next to me looked just as petrified as me. We were both seventeen and had the same dark eyes but she had very light brown hair.

'What is your name?' I asked her, she jumped at the sound of my voice.

'Chryseis,' she whispered as if she was afraid that people would hear it. 'Daughter of Chryses.'

'I know your father, he must be worried. How did you get here?'

'I cannot remember. They knocked me unconsious.'

King Agamemnon strolled onto the stage followed by King Triopas and King Odysseus. The soldiers cheered at the sight of them and Agamemnon gulped down his wine.

'Today we have won a great victory!' Cried Odysseus and the men cheered again. He carried on speaking but I refused to listen anymore. After looking away, I noticed Achilles at the front of the audience. Our eyes met and then I looked away slowly. I pretended to listen to Odysseues while I watched Achilles through the corner of my eye; he was staring at me.

'I have prizes!' Exclaimed Odysseus loudly, that is when I began to listen and pay attention. Odysseus turned to face Agamemnon. 'My king, I congratulate you on our victory. I give Chryseis, daughter of Chryses as a prize to you.'

Chryseis gave me a worried look and a tear rolled down her face. Agamemnon studied Chryseis with a perveted smile, he took her hand and pulled her away from me.

'A beautiful prize, Odysseus,' thanked Agamemnon. 'I shall take pleasure of it.'

'Please!' Sniffled Chryseis, her eyes full with tears. I could not take it anymore. I ran to her and tried to pull her from Agamemnon. Agamemnon shoved me away and grabbed me by my chin. 'Even more beautiful. I may consider taking two.' He laughed like an idiot and I scowled at him. He strolled away with his prize and Odysseus grabbed me by my arm.

'This is Briseis, daughter of Briseus!' He called to the men and they cheered loudly. Some of the crowd yelled 'I want her'. This is going to be worse than death. Odysseus shook his head at the men and grinned. 'I give this prize to the man who we wouldn't have victory without. He is the reason why we won today. I give Briseis to Achilles!'

**Achilles**

Everyone turned to face me and I stepped forward to claim my prize. This was not what I was expecting. As I climbed onto the stage, the men cheered and clapped. I half smiled at them before turning to Odysseus. He handed Briseis to me as if she was an object. She struggled to break free but I was much stronger than her.

'She may need to be tied to a pole,' Odysseus advised me with a wink. Briseis stopped struggling and looked down. With the men cheering in the background, I took her away to my hut. Like Odysseus said to, I tied her with a rope to a pole. I sat down on my bed and sharpened my sword; she did not look at me for a while.

'So you are Briseis,' I said, trying to create conversation. She ignored me and looked away. 'Did you hear me?'

'You're a killer,' she growled at me, I sighed and shook my head slowly.

'I didn't kill you,' I replied with a smile.

'You killed many men.'

'I saved you from that man in the temple.'

Briseis laughed sarcastically before looking down. I tilted my head to the right and thought of what to say.

'You are very beautiful, Briseis. Has any man ever told you that?' I asked, she looked up at me from the ground.

'My murdered husband,' she snapped back at me.

'Your husband? He tried to-' My voice trailed away when I saw a tiny tear roll down her face. I grabbed a tray of food and handed it to her. 'Eat.'

'I'll die before I take food from a Greek.' She shoved the tray away and glared at me. After drawing my sword, I stood up and stared down at her.

'That can be arrange,' I told her but she did not look frightened. 'Who was your husband?'

'King Mynes.'

'And did he treat you well?'

Briseis's gaze dropped and I sat down next to her. To her surprise, I untied her from the pole and held the tray of food in front of her.

'Eat,' I muttered as I munched on a grape.

'Kill me,' she replied and I leaned closer to her with my sword at her throat.

Briseis glanced at the sword under her chin and surprisingly did not panic.

'Are you afraid, Briseis?' I asked her and she gave me a hard stare.

'Should I be?' she asked, she looked away from me and I removed the sword from her kneck.

'You should not be afraid of me. You are my guest.'

'Guests can leave whenever they want.'

'Yes but if this guest leaves, she will be caught by men who won't treat her as kindly as I do.'

She glared at me before looking away and snatching a grape from the tray. I smiled as she popped it into her mouth and munched.

**Briseis**

When I was certain that he was asleep, I stood up and strolled over to his armour. Carefully, I grabbed his sword and his black cloak. After wrapping the cloak around my shoulders, I looked over Achilles to double check that he was fast asleep. His shoulder length blonde hair fell across his face and his bright blue eyes were shut.

Quietly, I left the hut with the newly sharpened sword clutched in my hand. All was silent, I assumed that all the Greeks were also fast asleep. Troy's walls could be seen in the distance. At the sight of them, I began to run as fast as I could with only one thing on my mind: _freedom_.

Suddenly, I bumped into something tall and wide... King Menelaus. He looked down at me with a smile before grabbing a handful of my hair and raising me off the ground until my eyes were staring directly at his.

'My wife is having fun in Troy with Prince Paris,' he said to himself while smirking. 'So why can't I?'

'Menelaus,' said a voice from behind me, I dreaded who it was. Disappointingly, Achilles approached us from behind and stood next to me, Menelaus almost immediately let go of my hair at the sight of him.

'Achilles,' began Menelaus, 'what are you doing here? Return to your hut.'

'My war prize seems to have ran into you. She was trying to escape.'

'Oh.'

Menelaus threw me into Achilles's arms and snorted.

'Make sure she doesn't escape next time,' he growled before turning and walking away.

'I will,' Achilles called back to him with a crocodile smile. Then he looked down at me and his smile faded; he snatched the sword from my grasp. I scowled at him before making my way to Achilles's hut. He grabbed my arm and pulled me back to the spot where I once stood.

'Do that again and I will do things to you which are beyond imagination,' he told me with hatred in his voice. 'I warn you, my kindness has limits.'

'Yes, and I have seen the limits of your kindness,' I snarled, 'and I have to say that it seems Mynes treated me better.'

'Careful, girl. I can get extremely angry very easily.'

'I can never be careful in a place like this. You will do the same things to me which Menelaus would have done to me. You are a true Greek soldier! Dirty, despicable and disgusting.'

Achilles raised his hand and it hovered above my head. My elbows were raised and were ready to protect my face from what was going to come from this monster. Instead, he grabbed me and dragged me back to his hut. After throwing me down, he tied me to a pole and went back to his bed. I didn't sleep at all that night.


	6. Chapter VI

**CHAPTER SIX**

* * *

><p><strong>Achilles<strong>

Days of bloodshed, death and war passed by and now I only have my memories from them. Each day I would return from the walls of Troy, sweat dripping from my forehead and helmet and my sword covered with red Trojan blood. _She_ never talked to me after what happened that night. Once when I returned from war, I asked her why she would not look at me, which she replied 'I will not gaze upon the man whose sword claimed the lives of many innocent Trojan soldiers.'

One day when I returned to my hut from battle, she was not there. My heart crashed against my ribcage and I searched outside, desperate to find her. There she was, standing in the ocean wih the water level just below her breasts. I stumbled closer to her from the hut and called her name twice. After staring up at the sun, she turned and strolled out of the water towards me.

'What were you doing?' I asked her when she reached me.

'Praying,' she answered with her eyes focused on the sand.

'Praying for what?'

'Praying that one day you would not return from battle.' I paused and looked down at the ground.

'Do you wish me dead?' I raised my dagger to my throat and listened for her answer.

'I wish that you would stop taking Trojan lives,' she replied as she removed the dagger.

'That will never happen,' I told her as she looked up at me and sighed. She grew more beautiful every day.

'Why did you choose this life?'

'What life?'

'To be a 'great' warrior.'

I looked down at her and took of my cape. Slowly, I wrapped it around her delicate shoulders; she did not react badly to me touching her.

'I chose nothing,' I finally replied truthfully, 'I was born and this is what I am.'

'You have no room in your heart for anything else,' Briseis assumed and I shook my head but she carried on. 'I have known men like you my whole life.'

'No you haven't.'

'You think yourself different from one thousand others.' Briseis's gaze dropped to the sand again. 'Soldiers understand nothing but war, peace just confuses them.'

After I brought her into my hut, I sat her down on my bed and handed her a tray of food.

'I am different from the others,' I told her as I watched her eat. 'I have room in my heart for me.'

'Yes, you have time to flirt with women so you can have them in your bed,' she snapped and I half smiled at her comments.

'You can believe what you want. What you think doesn't harm me.'

'Of course it doesn't, because you are the 'great' Achilles!' I laughed at the sarcasm in her voice. 'You fear nothing, not even the Gods.'

'If you say so.'

'But sometimes in some cases, fear is useful.'

'In what way?'

Briseis explained to me the different ocassions when fear is useful. But I wasn't paying much attention to what came out of her mouth, I was lost in her eyes.

**Priam**

As each day of war passed, I slowly grew weaker and weaker. The thought of one thousand Greek ships on my beach made me loose hope. Mynes was dead and nobody knew where Briseis was; she could have shared the same fate. I was meant to look after her like Briseus had asked me to. I have failed him.

'Father,' began Hector with a bow of his head when he approached me. 'We cannot find Briseis. She is either dead or captured by the Greeks.' I shivered at the thought of Briseis being a slave for the Greeks. That for her would be worse than dying.

'Also, Helen waits outside the door to speak with you,' Hector added as he signalled to the door.

'Send her in,' I mumbled and so he did. She fast-walked over to me and bowed her head. 'Leave us.' Hector left silently and I sat up on my throne.

'My King,' she began with a sigh. 'I am sorry for everything which has happened. Many Trojan soldiers have lost their lives because I hide behind your strong large walls. With your permission, I will leave thecity and return to the Greeks.'

'You do not have my permission,' I told her and her head rose up in shock. 'If you return to them, Menelaus will kill you.'

'So be it. I will not have another Trojan die for me. I am no longer Queen of Sparta.'

'You're a Princess of Troy now. And my son needs you tonight and every night after.'

'I have seen the way the women look at me. Their husbands died because I'm here. It's all my fault.'

'I have seen the way my son gazes at you. He loves you, do you love him?'

'Of course.'

'Then be together and let that be the end of it.'

'Some sacrifices must be made for love.'

'Yes but not sacrificed he will mourn over for the rest of his life.'

Helen glanced at the floor and knew I was right. I stood up and strolled over to her before placing my hands on her shoulders.

'Go,' I told her quietly. 'Return to your bedroom. My son needs to you tonight. Forget that this conversation ever took place.' She nodded in agreement before leaving the hall with her head bowed.

**Achilles**

Patroculus and I were strolling down the beach when a worried Eudoras stopped us in our tracks.

'Achilles,' he panted as my smile faded. 'They have taken Briseis.'

'Who?' I asked angrily.

'Agamemnon.'

Without asking questions, I marched into Agamemnon's tent and drew my sword. I was about to ask where Briseis was until I saw her being held by guards. Agamemnon sat on his throne with a cruel smile printed on his face.

'Give her back!' I demanded with my sword pointing in his direction.

'I afraid that is not possible,' he replied as he sipped his wine.

'What happened to Chryseis?'

Agamemnon stood up and sighed before strolling over to Briseis. My eyes met hers, she was so scared.

'Her father begged Apollo to curse us with a plague because I would not give her back to him. When I returned her, he asked Apollo to remove the plague (which he did). But I have to have Briseis.' He ran her hands through her hair and that was when I realised she was shivering out of fear. 'She's too beautiful.'

'I will not let you take her!' I shouted as I prepared to kill him.

'Guards!' Yelled Agamemnon, soldiers appeared everywhere in the tent with the swords drawn. I'll kill them too if it means that I get Briseis back.

'Stop!' Cried Briseis as she broke free from the soldiers's grasp. 'Too many men die every day in battle with Troy. Killing is your only talent, that is your curse. I won't have anyone dying for me.'

My eyes rose up from the ground and I glared at her before returning my sword to it's scabbard. Agamemnon laughed loudly and ridicliously at me.

'My dear, Achilles!' He laughed, 'silenced by a slave girl!' I gave Briseis another angry glare before looking away. 'Tonight, I'll have her give me a bath. And afterwards, who knows.'

'If you harm her,' I began furiously. 'I will give you a slow and painful death.'

'Say your goodbyes to your pretty little war prize.'

Briseis looked up at me as I slowly approached her. I bowed my head so my mouth was at her ear.

'Don't let him hurt you,' I whispered into her ear. 'I will come for you.'

'I don't need you to rescue or protect me,' she told me, her voice also a whisper. I glared at her before turning and leaving the tent silently and disappointed.


	7. Chapter VII

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

* * *

><p><strong>Achilles<strong>

I sat on my bed drinking wine from my goblet and munching on grapes. If this is what protesting is, it feels great. Until Patroculus marched into my hut with narrowed eyes with Eudoras close behind him.

'My Lord, the army is marching,' Eudoras told me as if I didn't know.

'Let them march, we stay,' I replied as I sipped my wine.

'But the men are ready.'

'We stay until Agamemnon groans to have Achilles back.'

'As you wish.'

Eudoras gave Patroculus a look before leaving the hut silently. Patroculus stepped forward and I offered him a grape; he refused.

'Are you ready to fight? Are you ready to kill?' I asked him as I placed the tray of grapes onto my bed. 'To take life?'

'I am,' Patroculus simply replied. My gaze dropped and I tossed my golden goblet of wine in my hands.

'I taught you how to fight but I didn't teach you why or who to fight for.'

'I fight for you.'

'And who will you fight for when I am gone?' Patroculus lowered his eyes and I carried on. 'Soldiers they fight for Kings they have never met. They fight when they are told to fight and they die when they are told to die.'

'Soldiers obey.'

I looked at him and sighed sadly at his respone. My gaze returned to my goblet before speaking.

'Last night, I saw all the faces of the men I have killed; waiting on the riverbank of the Underworld,' I told him before taking a sip of my wine. 'They wait for me to join them. They say welcome brother.' Patroculus glared at me confusingly and after I told him to go, he left the hut without a word

**Hector**

After thrusting my sword into a greek soldier, I removed it from his stomach and attacked the one behind me. My sword cut deeply into my opponent's hip and he fell crashing to the ground clutching his bloody wound.

'Prince Hector!' Called Glaucus as he rode up to me on his horse with my horse close behind him. I climbed onto my horse and slit the throat of a Greek soldier trying to attack me at my feet.

'The Greeks seem weak today,' I said to Glaucus and he nodded in agreement.

'Their best warrior Achilles is not fighting.'

'I wonder why?'

'There is a despute between him and Agamemnon, apparently.'

I looked up at a group of men watching in the distance from a cliff. I had no doubt that it was Achilles and his men. From the tales I have heard, this man fears nothing; not even death. Never before had I heard of a man so self confident. To know that he was in the Greek army did not frighten me, he was simply an obstacle which I would over come.

**Achilles**

Every few seconds, arrows came clashing down onto the Greek soldiers from the archers at Troy's walls. Men failed to block them with their shields and fell to the ground. After forming a line, the Trojans pushed against the Greeks who had no idea what to do.

'Get the men back into line!' I heard Odysseus yell as loud as he could from his chariot. With their shields hiding their faces, the Greeks slowly marched forward to meet the long line of ferocious Trojans. Hector rode up and down within his vicious army, his dark curls bouncing up and down as he galloped down a clear path made by the Trojans.

'ATTACK!' He screamed as loud as he could with his sword pointing in the direction of the anxious Greeks. The Trojans followed his instructions and ran at the Greeks with their spears ready. They kicked and pushed the Greeks's shields before attacking them brutally.

Patroculus looked up at me with angry eyes which read 'this is your entire fault.' I ignored him and carried on watching the battle. Finally, the defeated Greeks turned and fled after hearing Agamemnon's orders. The Trojans killed as many of them as they could before stopping and cheering happily. The sound of them rejoicing rang in my ears. They had fought hard and deserved the victory they had just won.

The waves crashed gently onto the Trojan shore as I strolled down the beach barefooted on the wet sand. My eyes were focused on the tiny sparkling stars glowing in the midnight black sky_. Would this war ever end_?

I remembered back to when I visited my mother the day before I left for Troy. She stood on the rocks in Laressa with her long grey hair dangling down her left shoulder. She sensed my presence and turned to face me when I approached her.

'I knew they would come for you,' she said as she placed her small delicate hand on my chest. 'They want you to fight in Troy.'

_-Silence-_

'Mother,' I began, breaking the silence. 'Tonight I decide.'

'If you stay in Laressa, you will meet a wonderful woman who will love you. You will have children and they will also love you. And when you are gone, they will remember you. But when your children are dead and their children after them, your name will be lost.' She stepped cloer to me and looked up at me with her ocean blue eyes. 'If you go to Troy, glory will be yours. People will write stories about your victories for hundreds of years.'

Her gaze slowly dropped and she looked away from me.

'If you go to Troy,' she began with tears in her eyes, 'You will never return home. For your glory walks hand in hand with your doom. And I will never see or hear from you again.'

My mother's words echoed in my ears and I stared at the dark sea in the distance. She was a mortal godess and knew my destiny before I was born. A family in Laressa was much diferent from fighting in Troy. This was what I wanted.

Suddenly, I noticed a figure in the distance washing clothes in the sea. As I came closer to them, the figure turned out to be Briseis. Her long dark hair swung over her shoulder and her red lips were slightly parted. She did not notice me until I was face to face with her.

She stood up straight with her hands clutching a tunic which she had been washing.

'Whose are these?' I asked her as she bent down again to carry on washing the clothes.

'They belong to Agamemnon,' she answered as she scrubbed the tunic under the salty water.

'Does he treat your fairly?'

'No man I have been enslaved to has ever treated me fairly.'

'Did I not treat your fairly?'

Briseis looked up at me from the clothes with her dark beautiful eyes.

'You are no different to the other great warriors,' she told me truthfully, 'you think that you can charm and impress and make any woman fall for you. Well I tell you now, 'great' Achilles. I will not fall for it.'

'Wise words,' I replied as I tilted my head to the left with a smirk. 'For a priestess.' She glanced down at her torn servant of Apollo dress.

'From a Queen!' She corrected me with a snappy voice and narrowed eyes. I smiled to contain my laughter deep inside me and she noticed this. Without warning, she threw herself at me with a punch into my stomach. I caught her wrists easily and stopped her from attacking.

She breathed heavily and glared up at me furiously. Her anger soon melted away and I cautiously let go of her wrists.

'Tell me, has Agamemnon harmed you?' I asked, desperate to know her response. Whether I marched to Agamemnon's tent or not all depended on Briseis's response.

'I still remain a virgin priestess of Apollo,' she finally replied and I looked down in relief. 'And I always will be; now that Mynes is dead.'

After smiling at her words, I turned around to leave.

'Sweat dreams, my Queen,' I told her before walking away.

'Achilles!' She called to me and I stopped in my tracks at the sound of her voice. 'Have you ever loved?'

I turned to face her and stared at her. After a moment of staring, I shrugged helplessly and looked down.

'Love is a cruel thing,' she carried on as her gazed lowered. 'Be careful if you get the chance to.' She headed back to Agamemnon's tent with the clothes swung over her shoulder. She glanced back at me before disappearing inside.


	8. Chapter VIII

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

* * *

><p><strong>Briseis<strong>

Days passed and the Greek soldiers returned from Troy, each time they were defeated. Whenever I saw them, I searched to see if Achilles was among them. He was not. A time came when I concluded that he had died in battle. My eyes filled with tears and I sobbed quietly in the corner of Agamemnon's tent. I kept telling myself that he was still alive and I just couldn't find him. Even though I knew deep down in the bottom of my heart that this was unlikely. Through a slit in the tent, I watched the pyres burning under the beautiful moon. What if he was on top of one of those pyres?

I cried out loud at the terrible thought and held my head in my sore hands. When I was his captive, I prayed that this would happen. But I never knew it would affect me so badly. Maybe he did mean something to me after all. I remembered the day when we first met in the temple of Apollo. His golden hair clinging to his face with sweat and his bright blue eyes staring into mine. His sword wet with blood and his armour gleaming in the sun-

Suddenly, two Greek soldiers interrupted my thoughts by approaching me and grabbing me by my arms. They were unknown to me, I had never laid eyes on them.

'What are you doing?' I asked them with tears still streaming down my face.

'Agamemnon has given you to us,' grinned one of the men as they dragged me out of the tent; I was too distraught to argue.

They dropped me next to a burning fire and laughed loudly. More men surrounded me with goblets of wine in their strong hands. I was pulled to my feet against my will and held by two men. I began to be tossed around like an item between them. Laughter rang in my ears and I sobbed silently.

'Achilles is not here to protect, now!' Laughed one of the men and that is when I grew angry. How dare they talk about him in that way. After breaking free from their grasp, I shoved the closest men to me onto the sand and ran as fast as my legs could carry me.

'Bitch!' I heard them yell from behind me. To my surprise, they did not chase me and returned to what they were doing. Without warning, I tripped and fell onto a stack of planks of wood. The rough sides of the pieces scraped against the exposed parts of my legs and caused them to bleed. This did not stop me from getting up and running again. Finally, I reached the sea and my pace slowed down.

Slowly, I took a step into the water followed by another and another. The salty water pressed against my legs and caused my cuts to sting but that did not bother me.

'Achilles,' I whispered to myself over and over as I walked further into the sea. Without him, I would never be safe again. When I was with him, I never realised that he was protecting me and I tookd advantage of his kindness.

I reached a point in the sea where my feet were not touching the ground anymore. As fast as I could, I kicked my legs and was forced to swim furthur into the sea. _Oh Poseidon, take my life; carry my body away with your vicious waves!_

I felt the strong current drag me down beneath the surface. After closing my eyes, I smiled at the fact that my prayer had been heard. Let the ocean swallow my worthless body whole! I am no longer Queen of Lyrnessus...

Something wrapped around my body just under my breathes. Poseidon's arms felt so welcoming, was death this welcoming? I was being carried out of the water but I could see only darkness for my eyes were closed.

Before I knew it, I was placed gently onto such softness. My eyes stang because of the salt water and I could not open them. Something took my hand and my eyes shot open, forgetting that they were stinging.

My eyes gazed up at a golden-haired, blue eyed man.

'Achilles,' I whispered weakly. He was not dead, he was very much alive. His eyes were not focused on me, they were focused on my hands.

'Your hands are covered in splinters,' he told me without looking at me. My eyes closed again as he began to pick the splinters out of my hands. I felt safe again now that I was with Achilles inside his hut. I had been so rude to him when he had only tried to please me. Guilt quickly invaded my feelings.

**Achilles**

After I had finished removing the splinters from her hands, I returned them to her side. I grabbed a cloth from inside a bucket of water and gently patted it on her knees (that was where most of the cuts were). When I moved the cloth to her thigh, she shuddered and pushed it away with her hand. I looked up at her and sighed.

'You must let me,' I told her and she shook her head. 'You know I won't harm you.'

Finally, she let me and I returned the cloth to her thigh. I could tell that she was uncomfortable but I pretended that I didn't know.

'Why did you try to kill yourself?' I asked her as I cleaned her small cuts.

'I thought you were dead,' she replied truthfully as she placed all of her long hair over one shoulder. 'Without you, I would never be-' Her voice trailed away when she realised what she sounded like. She bowed her head in embarrasment and I smiled to myself.'

'Do I really mean that much to you?' I asked as I dunked the piece of cloth in the bucket of water; Briseis fell silent. Perhaps she thought I was teasing her.

'Because you mean alot to me,' I added as I carried on patting her thigh. My eyes were lowered but I knew that she had raised her head. Through the corner of my eye, I saw the colour in her cheeks brighten as she watched me.

'Did anyone harm you?' I asked, changing the subject.

'A group of men,' she replied sadly. 'But I ran away before they could touch me.'

Angrily, I reached for my sword and turned to the exit of the hut. A soft delicate hand grabbed mine gently and I turned to face Briseis.

'But I ran away before they could touch me,' she repeated as she moved closer. I allowed her to remove the sword from my grasp and drop it onto the bed for she had bewitched me with her kindness.

After placing the cloth into the bucket, I pulled her dress down slightly so her thighs were covered. I offered her food which she took gracefully.

'You will have my bed tonight,' I told her when she lowered the goblet from her lips.

'Where will you sleep?' she asked, she was concerned for me.

'The floor, I will be fine.'

'I cannot ask you to give up your bed for me.'

'You're not asking me. I'm _telling _you.'

Briseis did not argue, she simply smiled and brought the goblet to her lips. I gazed at her torn dress and she noticed me.

'Yes, it is the same dress I was wearing in the temple all that time ago,' she told me and I nodded gently.

'Mynes torn it,' I muttered and her gaze dropped. 'Forgive me, I had no attentions of upsetting you.'

'I know you didn't. He was just, such cruel man.'

'I understand.' Our eyes slowly met. 'We need to get you something else to wear.'

Briseis shrugged and finished her wine. I took the empty goblet from her hands and put it aside. Without a second thought, I ran my fingers through her soft hair. She froze in shock and I apologised after I withdrew my hand. To my surprise, she grabbed it and caressed it gently. My eyes were fixed on her and only her as she did so. When her eyes rose up and she returned my stare, I leaned in and our lips met quicker than I thought they would.

She snaked her arms around my neck and returned my kiss. I had waited too long for this moment. My arms wrapped around her skinny body and I pulled her closer to me. When she broke the kiss, she rested her head against my chest and I stroked her hair.

'Achilles,' she breathed as she looked up at me. She brought her lips up to meet mine and we kissed again. Slowly, I brought her down in my arms until we lay on the bed. She was so small in my arms. She hugged me as my lips worked their way up her kneck.

'Achilles,' she repeated but I placed my finger on her lips. She smiled and I kissed her again. I had loved her for a long time and I always would.


	9. Chapter VIIII

**CHAPTER NINE**

* * *

><p><strong>Achilles<strong>

Late morning came and I awoke with my arms wrapped around Briseis. She slept peacefully, her lips slightly parted and her eyelids fully closed. My lips curved into a smile and I pecked her cheek before getting up and getting changed.

As I did so, she also awoke with the blanket wrapped around her. When she stood up, I flashed a smile and handed her a dress. Confusingly, she glared at it before taking it gently. After we both got dressed, we sat on the bed with my arm around her shoulders and her head resting on mine. Our fingers entwined as we gazed at eachother.

'Am I still your captive?' she asked suddenly with a smile.

'You're my guest,' I corrected her as I brought her fingers to my lips and kissed them. She blushed and looked down.

'Would you leave this all behind?'

'Would you leave Troy?'

After a moment of silence, Briseis smiled and nodded. I told her we would leave tomorrow and return to Laressa. I would introduce her to my mother before I would marry her. Briseis was excited, it would be the first time she married for love.

'My Lord!' Called a voice from outside the hut. Both of us strolled outside to see who had called us. Eudoras stood not far from the tent with the men returning from battle. My blood boiled and I walked up to him.

'You violated my orders,' I told him and he shook his head. 'You lead them into battle.'

'It wasn't me, my Lord. We thought it was you.' I grew angrier at that and glanced around for my cousin.

'Where's Patroculus? Patroculus!'

'We thought he was you, my Lord. He wore your spear, your armour. He even moved like you.'

'WHERE IS HE?'

'He's dead, my Lord. Hector cut his throat.'

My eyes were liquid but I didn't let my tears escape my eyes. I shoved Eudoras out of the way and strolled over to the dead body of Patroculus on a stretcher. His throat was slit open and dried blood surrounded the wound

'Patroculus,' I whispered as I placed my hand on my chest plate he was wearing.

**Hector**

'Hector!' Andromache cried from behind me. 'Where are you taking me?'

We walked through corridors, down steps and secret passages she had never seen before. Astyanax was fast asleep in her arms but gurgled every few minutes. When we reached an unknown door, I opened it and there was a dusty pathway leading somewhere.

'Do you remember how to get here?' I asked and Andromache looked confused.

'Hector why-'

'Do you?' Andromache fell silent and nodded so I carried on. 'Down this path leads you out of Troy. There's no turning so you won't get lost. At the end of the pathway, there is a river. Follow the river and it will take you far away from Troy as possible.'

'Why are you telling me this?'

'If I fall-'

'No!'

'I don't know how long Troy will stand. But if the Greeks invade, you will be ready.' Andromache had burst into tears by now. 'You'll get as much people as you can but most importantly you get yourself here and you run.'

'Why are you saying these terrible things?'

My gaze dropped and I sighed sadly; I could hear her sobbing quietly.

'I killed a boy today,' I told her as I shook my head. 'He was too young to die, much too young.' Andromache stepped closer to me and kissed me gently.

'I can't loose you,' she told me. 'I won't survive.'

**Briseis**

After Patroculus's body had been burned, Achilles and I returned to the hut. He sat in the far corner of the hut sharpening his sword. I sat on the bed watching him, what could I say which would make him feel better?

'I am going to bed,' I told him but he didn't reply or look up from his sword. 'Are you coming?' Achilles shook his head without looking at me and carried on sharpening his sword. I felt neglected and climbed under the blanket. Tears rolled down my face and I quietly cried myself to sleep.

Morning came and I awoke with Achilles next to me but we were not touching. I turned to face his sleeping body and sighed. When my hand reached out to caress his cheek, he grabbed it so quickly that he caused me to jump. He realised it was me and let go of my hand. That was when I realised that I feared him more than I loved him. I would have to be careful with my words towards him.

He glared at me and made me feel uncomfortable. I turned to face the other way but he grabbed me and turned me back to face him.

'Can you not look at me anymore?' he asked me and I shuddered. 'The night before we made love and now you fear me.'

'I don't understand you,' I told him and he pulled me closer to him.

'What is there to understand? Everyone is a mystery.' He bent his head and kissed my forehead before climbing out of bed and putting on his armour.

'You are going to war?' I asked him and he nodded. I stood up and strolled over to him. 'Be safe.' He took me in his arms and kissed me, then he left the hut and I followed him.

'I am going to kill one man,' he told me.'

'Who is that?'

'Hector.' My heart crashed against my ribs as he climbed onto his small chariot.

'No!' I screamed as I ran to him. 'Hector is my friend! He's a good man, please don't fight him. Please!' Achilles grabbed the reins and I grabbed his arm.

'Let go of me, Briseis,' he growled and I shook my head. Angrily, he shoved me off and glared at me. 'Know your place, woman.' With that, he rode off into the distance. Leaving me on the sand in tears. I knew who would win but I refused to believe it. Hector had been my friend since I was a child and now he was going to die for a mistake he probably regrets.

**Achilles**

I rode up to the walls of Troy as fast as I could. Archers had their arrows ready to fire at me but they were told not to. My chariot came to a sudden stop and I stepped down off it. Everywhere was silent, but i soon broke it when I began to shout Hector's name.

I shouted his name at least twelve times until the gates of Troy opened and a man appeared. He approached me with his spear clutched in his hand.

'I've seen this moment in my dreams,' Hector said as if I wanted to know. 'As the Gods as our witnesses, the winner must allow the loser all the proper rituals.'

'There are no paths between the lines of men.'

'I wish it was you I killed yesterday but I gave the dead boy the honour he deserved.'

'You gave him the honour of your sword,' I snapped and Hector's gaze dropped. 'You won't have eyes tonight. You won't have ears or a tongue. You'll roam the underworld blind, deaf and mute and everyone will know that this is Hector; the fool who thought he killed Achilles.'

Hector was silent as I hammered my spear into the ground and removed my helmet.

'Now you know who you're fighting,' I spat as I threw the helmet onto the ground.

With that, we charged at eachother spears at the ready. Our spears clashed together, each of us aiming for easiest kill. Hector tried to plunge his spear into my shoulder but I blocked it easily and knocked his spear away. With my spear above my shield, I charged at Hector. My spear clashed into his shield with such strength that it knocked him onto the ground.

From the Trojan walls, I noticed his family watching. Andromache couldn't bear to watch and cried out. Helen was peering over the wall, her long blonde hair blowing in the little wind. She was very beautiful, but it was her beauty who caused this war. The war which caused Patroculus to die. I would kill her and Paris if I got the chance. Paris stood next to her, looking down at me with disgust. He was weaker than he looked and I could tell that he had never killed a man. He looked around Patroculus's age.

By this time, Hector was on his feet again breathing heavily. His spear tried to pierce his arm but I snapped it in half with my shield. At that moment, he drew his sword and I drew mine. Our swords glistened in the sunlight as they clashed together constantly. Again, my sword drove into his shield and caused him to fall onto the ground.

'Get up prince of Troy, I won't let anything take my glory,' I snarled as he struggled to his feet. He snatched part of the broken spear and jumped to his feet. He began to attack me with it and his sword. I managed to dodge his attacks and slit part of his exposed thigh open. He called out in pain but did not stop the attacking.

'Hector!' Andromache cried with tears streaming down her face like a waterfall. I looked up at the petrified woman and I pitied her. But her crying had distracted me and Hector nearly plunged his sword into my shoulder. Just in time, I moved out of the way and pushed him onto the ground with my shield. Quickly, he jumped to his feet and began to attack me again.

In the blink of an eye, I grabbed the broken part of the spear from him and drove it into his body just beneath his shoulder. Hector stopped suddenly and fell to his knees. He looked up at me, struggling to breath. To finish his life, I thrust my sword into his stomach and dragged it out of him just before he fell to the ground with a tremendous thud.

I looked up at the king who had just lost his son. Priam's eyes were liquid and he looked away with such horror in his face. Andromache's tears were uncontrollable and Helen was trying to comfort her.

After grabbing a rope from my chariot, I began to tie Hector's feet to the chariot. Priam looked down at me and shook his head in disbelief. I climbed onto my chariot and rode into the distance. Hector's widow screaming as loud as she could at what she had just seen.


	10. Chapter X

** CHAPTER TEN**

* * *

><p><strong>Briseis<strong>

Achilles returned to the hut quicker than I had expected. At the sight of him, I knew Hector had been defeated. Achilles glanced at me before washing his face in a wooden bowl of water. He removed his chest plate and greaves and poured the bowl of water over his body. I looked away, I didn't want to gaze at the man who killed my friend.

'I assume Hector is dead,' I gasped as I wiped my tears.

'He is outside,' Achilles replied and I gave him a look of horror.

'You monster!'

'He's dead, Briseis. Where his body goes does not matter.'

'Have you no respect?'

Achilles turned and strolled up to me. He glared down at me before replying.

'He killed my cousin,' he said before putting on his robe.

'And how many cousins have you killed, brave Achilles?' I asked and he looked away. 'How many fathers, brothers, husbands have you snatched away with the edge of your sword?' Achilles pointed his sword at my head and I looked him in the eye.

'Do not mock me.'

'I do not fear death anymore, Achilles. Ever since I was taken as a captive I knew my life would end soon.'

He lowered his sword and looked away.

'I cannot kill you,' he told me as he sat down on the bed. I stood up and walked over to the exit of the hut.

'You refuse to kill me,' I corrected him and he nodded. He got up and stood between me and the exit.

'If anyone has to kill you, it would be. But you do not have to die. That is why I have to make you wife.'

'You do not have to do anything. How can I marry you knowing that you murdered those close to me.'

With that, I shoved my way past him and left the hut. Tears filled my eyes again and I collapsed on the wet sand just in front of the water.

**Achilles**

Night came and Briseis still not had returned to the hut. I watched her from the exit, she still sat there watching the waves of the sea. What did she find so interesting about it?

I sat down on the bed and held my head in my hands. If she did not want to marry me, so be it. But what she said was true, I am a monster. We men are the monsters we write about.

Suddenly, a hooded man entered me and slowly approached me. He knelt down to me and kissed my fingers.

'Who are you?' I asked and the man removed his hood. It was Priam.

'I have endured what no one else on this Earth has endured,' he replied as I snatched my hands away. 'I kiss the hands of the man who killed my son.'

'Priam? How did you get here?'

'I think I know my own country better than the Greeks.'

'You're a brave man to come here alone.' I lifted him onto the bed by his arms. 'I could have your head on a spit in the blink of an eye.'

'Do you really think death frightens me now?' What he said sounded similar to what Briseis had told me. 'I knew your father, he died before his time. But he was lucky to not live long enough to see his son fall.'

'Hector killed my cousin, he was much too young.'

'Thought he was you. But I imagine that you have killed men much younger, Achilles. You may be a killer but I know you are not as ruthless as you seem. Give me back my son. Let me wash his body, let me place two coins on his eyes for the boatman. You would have wanted the same if you were in his place. A beautiful wife lost her husband today. A baby son lost his father. And a country lost their future king.'

For a moment, I thought long and hard before getting up and heading towards the exit. I stopped and turned to face Priam from there.

'If I give Hector back to you, it doesn't change anything. You're still my enemy in the morning,' I told him and Priam got to his feet.

'And you're still my enemy tonight.'

I left and began to wrap Hector's body in a blue blanket. After strapping it to Priam's chariot, I turned to face him.

'Your son was the best I fought,' I said and Priam half smiled. 'In my country, the funeral games last for twelve days.'

'This is the same in my country,' Priam almost interrupted.

'Then the prince will have that honour. No Greek will attack Troy for twelve days. Priam nodded as a sign of appreciation.

Suddenly, Briseis appeared out of nowhere and gasped.

'Briseis!' Priam cried and held out his arms. Briseis ran into them and let Priam kiss her cheeks. 'I thought you were dead.'

'I will follow you back to the walls of Troy so no Greek attacks you,' I told him with my eyes on the ground. Priam climbed onto the chariot and I climbed on behind him. Briseis stopped glaring at me when I held out my hand to her. She took it and I helped her onto the chariot.

We rode back to the walls of Troy, Greeks giving us strange looks as we did. Priam pulled the reins of his horse and the chariot came to a sudden stop. I jumped off, followed by Priam and Briseis.

Andromache ran through the open gates to Hector's body. She weeped and rested her head on him. Helen appeared next to her, cradling a baby which I asummed to be Andromache's. Paris noticed Briseis and opened his mouth slightly in shock. He ran to her and held her in his arms.

'Briseis,' he gasped as he held her tightly. 'The Gods have blessed us!' Helen and Andromache joined him at his side. Briseis broke the hug and turned to face me; her brown eyes filled with tears.

'Go,' I told her, 'you are free.'

'I was never a captive,' she said as she moved closer to me. 'You told me yourself.'

'You are a guest, we are not around the Greeks now. You are safe and can leave without being attacked.' A tear rolled down her voice and she placed her hand on my chest.

'What about us?' she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

'You are safer here, with your family. When this war is over, I will come for you if you want me to.' I replied and she looked down. 'If I ever hurt you, it is not what I wanted.' Slowly, I placed a sea shell necklace (which once belonged to me) in her delicate hand.

After smiling slightly, she turned and climbed back onto the chariot. Her gaze was focused on me as they rode into the city of Troy, followed by Paris, Helen and Andromache. The gates closed behind them and I felt like I would never see her again.

**Odysseus**

When Agamemnon heard of what Achilles had done, he was not pleased.

'Achilles gives King Priam twelve days of peace? Peace? Peace!' He spat furiously after he gulped down his wine. 'What nonsense is this? Their prince is dead. Their army leaderless. This is the time to attack!'

'Even with Prince Hector dead, Troy's walls can't be breached,' Nestor mentioned and what he said was true.

'King Priam thinks he's untouchable behind his high walls. He thinks the Sun God will protect him. But Troy will burn some day, even if I have to smash their walls to the ground. Here me Zeus! I will _smash _their walls to the ground!'

I needed to think of something which would make us win this war. I had not seen Penelope for such a long time. Sometimes I feared that I might not gaze upon her beauty again.

That night, when I sat around the camp fire eating bread and drinking wine with the men. I noticed a man next to me, carving a small horse out of a block of wood.

'That's good,' I told him with a smile. I was truly impressed by his work.

'Thank you,' thanked the man as he returned my smile. 'For my son, back home.' I looked away, but looked back at the wooden horse suddenly. My mind was invaded by a brilliant idea. An idea that would bring us victory.

Soon after, I gathered the men and instructed them to build a wooden horse out of wood from the ships. They followed my orders and began to build. As I watched them, I planned what I would do next.

'Well done, Odysseus,' Agamemnon congratulated me from behind with a smirk. 'You've found a way for the sheep to invite the wolves for dinner.' I smiled at his comment before returning to my thoughts. This war would end very soon.


	11. Chapter XI

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

* * *

><p><strong>12 DAYS LATER<strong>

**Priam**

Early in the morning, a soldier came to us with news which brightened up my day. The Greeks had packed up and left our beach. When I heard this, I could not believe it and I had to go see for myself.

Paris, Glaucus and a couple of Greek soldiers joined me and we strolled down to the beach. The ships were gone, only dead Greeks who had suffered from the plague lay on the dry sand.

'Don't get too close, my King,' Glaucus warned me as I glared down at the dead body at my feet.

'They thought they could sack Troy in a day,' mumbled Paris as he reached me. 'They desecrated the temple of Apollo and Apollo desecrated their skin.'

'What is this?' I asked as I gazed up at the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. A large wooden horse stood before me, I found it most fascinating.

'A gift to Poseidon,' answered Glaucus as he stroked the strong wood of the horse. 'The Greeks are praying for a safe trip home. We should take it to the temple.'

'No,' disagreed Paris and we turned to face him. 'We should burn it.'

'My Prince, it is a gift to the Gods.'

Paris took me by the arm and gave me a serious look.

'Father, burn it,' he repeated and I turned back to face the wooden horse.

**Paris**

The horse was dragged through the gates of Troy and down the streets of Troy. Citizens danced and praised it with happiness. Men cheered and got drunk with wine. This all seemed like a dream and I couldn't believe my eyes.

'Look at them,' I said to Helen and she looked at me. 'They act like their Prince never died.' Helen gazed at me before taking my face in her hands.

'You're their Prince now,' she replied as she kissed my cheek. 'Make them proud.'

How will I ever be able to fill my brother's shoes? He was the best man I ever knew. I will never be able to live the life he lived. Briseis sat on a bench playing with her hair. I sat next to her and smiled, she did not smile back.

'Paris,' she began sadly. 'How do you cope?'

'Cope with what?' I asked confusingly. She stopped playing with her hair and looked up at me.

'What people say about you and Helen.' I shrugged, what could I say? 'We have fallen in love with the wrong people at the wrong time.' I had forgotten about her love for Achilles.

'Love is not something you can control, it controls you. It may be wrong, but it feels right. In my opinion, that's all that matters. In your case, I do pity you. You have fallen in love with a killing machine. A man who killed my brother and your husband.'

'Is loving such a sin?'

I smiled slightly and glanced down at my lap.

'Love is a sin,' I replied truthfully. 'When you fall in love, you are doomed. Nothing can stop your love for someone.'

Briseis sighed and nodded in agreement.

'Paris, all my life you have been a brother to me,' she said before kissing my forehead and leaving.

**Briseis**

Night came and I stood on my balcony gazing up at the stars. I wondered what Achilles might be doing at that moment. Was he thinking of me? I remembered the night when he took me to his hut and cleaned my cuts.

He had left Troy, he had left me. He said he would take me with him when the war was over. He has abandon me, had he also abandoned his love for me? Maybe he has moved on, I should too. There is no point of me standing here dreaming about things which will never come true.

After combing my hair, I walked over to my bed and climbed in. My eyes closed and darkness surrounded me.

**Achilles**

We sat cramped inside this pathetic thing waiting for the right moment. All I wanted to do was go and see Briseis.

'Gather around,' whispered Odysseus and so we did. 'You know what to do.' Everyone nodded at eachother apart from me. We climbed up the wood and pushed a plank out of the wooden wall. I was the first to jump out and ran off. It was the first time I had been in Troy and it would probably be the last.

I ran away, leaving the others inside the wooden horse. My eyes were focused on the Trojan Palace as I sprinted up the steps. At that moment, I realised there would be guards guarding the Palace door. Instead of going the way I planned on going, I turned around and began to climb up the Palace wall.

**Odysseus**

'Where is Achilles?' asked one of the men to me in a quiet voice.

'I don't know, but hurry up. Get these guards killed as fast as you can!' I replied as I ran up the stone steps behind the Trojan walls. The men slit the sleeping guards's throats before stabbed them constantly until they died.

One of them handed me a torch and I glanced around, looking for the highest place on the walls. After spotting it, I ran over to it and climbed onto the wall. As fast as I could, I waved the torch in the air from the Trojan walls. From the beach, I watched the Greek soldiers run over to the walls and through the open gates. We were inside the city, we had already won this war.

Already, women were screaming and men were struggling to get ready for war. I watched the soldiers kill the Trojan men and take the women as slaves. For one minute, I felt sorry for the innocent towns people. This war was created because of one man's greed. He would happily let innocent people die so he could have his prize.

**Achilles**

I reached the top of the palace walls and hopped into the garden. Immediately, guards spotted me and began to run over to me. I killed them swiftly with the edge of my blade and pushed their dead bodies to the ground.

The royal people were panicking when they saw me. I grabbed a man by his throat and held him against the wall.

'Where is Briseis?' I asked him.

'I don't know!' He gasped and I narrowed my eyes. 'Please, I have a son.'

'Then get him out of Troy.'

With that, I left him and pushed my way through the crowd of screaming people. I had to find Briseis before it was too late.

'Briseis!' I cried, glancing around at the running people. No one responded to my call and I carried on running.

**Briseis**

'Paris!' I screamed as I ran around the burning building. My heart was beating so fast that it felt like it was going to explode. 'Andromache!' Where were they? Had they deserted me? I ran to Paris and Helen's room but they were not there. I was going to dying today in the burning city of Troy.

As fast as I could, I speeded around looking for a way to escape. Screaming people shoved me out of the way and I thought I was going to be trampled on. Finally, I managed to push my way out of the crowd.

In the distance, I could see the statue of Apollo still standing. The only thing which could help us now was the Gods. Quickly, I sprinted down the stone steps over to the statue and knelt at his feet.

_Oh Apollo, please show us mercy. What have these innocent people done to deserve this? Curse me for my bad deeds I have commited recently. These people have served you in the best way they could. Please, Apollo-_

'To late for prayers, priestess,' growled a voice from behind me. My eyes shot open and I dreaded who was behind me. A strong hand grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled me to my feet. Agamemnon held me and I just managed to balance on my tip toes. 'I nearly lost this war because of your little romance.'

'Let me go!' I cried but he only smirked.

'You would have been my slave. A Queen of Lyrnessus, scrubbing my floors. And at night-'

I didn't let him finish his sentance. I brought up the dagger which was hidden in my hand and plunged it into his throat. Agamemnon squealed and stumbled back in pain. After he fell to his knees, I removed the dagger from his throat and tried to run away. But his guards grabbed me by my hair and pulled me to them.

'Hold her!' Yelled a guard as the other one drew his sword.

Suddenly, Achilles appeared out of nowhere and slit his throat. When the guard fell to the ground, he turned to the other one who was holding me. I was pushed out of the way and looked up in time to see Achilles thrust his sword into the guard's stomach.

Achilles knelt down to me and began to pull me to my feet.

'Come on, you need to get out of here,' he told me. I was about to reply until I saw Paris in the distance getting his bow and arrow ready.

'Paris, NO!' I screamed but it was too late. Paris fired his arrow at full speed and it drove through Achilles's heel. Achilles hesitated and looked up at Paris slowly. His face showed me that he was in pain. When he got to his feet, I did too and ran up to Paris.

'Paris!' I cried. 'Don't!' He ignored me and fired another arrow at Achilles. It digged into his stomach but Achilles did not fall. 'STOP!'

The final arrow Paris fired stopped Achilles from walking towards him. I spun around to gaze at him, he looked at me too before falling to his knees. As fast as I could, I ran up to him and got down on my knees.

'No,' I whispered with tears rolling down my face. Achilles took my face in his hands and told me it was alright. But it wasn't alright, was it?

'No,' I repeated as he ran his hands through my hair.

'You gave me peace,' he managed with tears in his eyes. 'After a life time of war.'

'No, Achilles, please!' My tears were now uncontrollable. 'Please don't leave me, I love you.'

'I love you too, Briseis. I can't describe how much I love you. You told me things others were afraid to say. I love you.'

'Briseis, come,' Paris said from behind me. I wanted to turn around and kill him.

'No,' I whispered to Achilles.

'Come, I know a way. Andromache showed me it.'

Achilles looked up at Paris and nodded.

'Go,' he told me but I shook my head. 'You must.' I leaned and kissed him gently.

'Briseis, come,' Paris repeated and I slowly got up to my feet. At that moment, he grabbed me by my waist and began to pull me away. I tried to run back to Achilles but I couldn't. From a distance, I watch his eyes close and his body fall to the ground.

Paris took me through a secret passage and lead me out of Troy. All I could think about was _him, _he threatened everything he was to save me. _Achilles, you were the light in my darkness. You wrapped me in love and kindness. I can never love any other man like I love you. My heart will always belong to you. Paris is right, love is cruel and it is a sin. But loving you made me forget it was a sin. And it didn't matter if it was wrong, because it felt so right. I will remember each day we spent together. For you are the only one who mattered to me, you are and will always be... my husband._


End file.
